Billy Dib, Will Tomlinson engage in war of words
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There is no love lost between featherweight boxers Billy Dib and Will Tomlinson, as evidenced by this very public war of words that flared up earlier this year.

Fox Sports

08 Aug 2014

Sport/More Sports

Will Tomlinson has thrown some verbal punches back at rival, Billy Dib. Source: News Limited

FORGET the Mundine v Geale rivalry, there’s another boxing feud in Australian boxing which is about to erupt again.

Will Tomlinson and Billy Dib had a brief spat last year which seemed to have lost it’s steam, but the simmering tension is well and truly back.

Six words could re-ignite one of boxing’s most bitter feuds.

“I basically can’t stand the c**t,” Tomlinson said.

At a café in West Hollywood, the 27-year-old left nothing on the stool when asked his opinion of rival pugilist Billy Dib.

“What does he expect? He went on Fox Sports News and basically accused me and my camp of cheating and paying off judges,” Tomlinson fired.

“He may have retracted the comments later on, but regardless, he’s two-faced and I just don’t like him.”

Will Tomlinson has not minced his words when talking about Billy Dib.Source: News Limited

Tomlinson’s beef with Dib flared again when he was forced to look on as Dib outpointed Mexican Alberto Garza in the United States, the country the Victorian now calls home as he attempts to crack its lucrative boxing market.

“I didn’t enjoy it because he’s the ugliest, dirtiest fighter to watch in my opinion and I really don’t care if he wins or loses,” Tomlinson said.

“He sells it to the media that he’s a big time fighter in America but he’s not, he fought a dud. He fought somebody who honestly with my hand on my heart, I would have knocked out. He’s definitely not fighting at the elite level.”

A closer look reveals Tomlinson’s anger is less about the latest success of a foe, and more about his nightmare debut in America, which instead of being a life-changer, threatened to send him home a failure.

He was placed on the undercard of the Canelo Alverez versus Alfredo Angulo bout in Las Vegas in March, but lost a unanimous decision to the Texan Jerry Belmontes.

“It was definitely a tough way to start the stint, my first professional loss, my first loss in six

years,” Tomlinson said.

“I know I didn’t fight anywhere near my capabilities, I just didn’t fire on the night. I let the occasion get to me.

“I just need to learn from that and just let what I’ve done for the last 16 years come

naturally.”

Defeat in the professional ranks came as a blow, literally, for Tomlinson, his first in 23 trips

to the ring as a pro.

“The biggest kick in the guts from the whole experience was not losing my undefeated record or under-performing, it was the fact that two weeks later the WBC gave Belmontes a shot at Omar Figueroa’s WBC lightweight title, which would have been a dream come true for me,” Tomlinson said.

After building a strong following in his own country, especially in his home town Melbourne, the former IBO Super Featherweight world champion is now a faceless fighter in a foreign land starting from scratch.

“If at any time my promoters feel that I’m under-performing, they can kill the [fight-by-fight] deal, so I’m not exactly sitting pretty.”

“I need to be ready to go if Golden Boy gives me a fight. In Australia I could pick and choose when I fought so I had a 10-12 week camp to cut weight, but over here it’s a different story, so I’ll move up a division and stay ready to go.”

It begs the obvious question, does the man who left everything behind for a shot at the big time have any regrets.

“I ask myself a lot,” Tomlinson said.

“But I know at the end of my career if I hadn’t made the move here and attempted to see how good I could have been and how far boxing could have taken me, I would have kicked myself.

“I’m not going to go running back to Australia with my tail between my legs; I’m here for the long run.”

Blacktown boxer Will Tomlinson now calls the US home.Source: News Limited

Tomlinson wants two more fights this year, which if everything goes to plan will set him up for an exciting 2015.

“For me, success will be winning titles, winning big fights, and returning to my country after a

successful career in America,” he said.

“I’m very stubborn. If I put my mind to something I want to do it well, and in doing that I’ll prove the doubters wrong.”

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